Life-preserver.



W. G. BROKAW. LIFE PRESERVER. APPLICATION FILED MAR. a. 1915.

Patented Nov. 16, 1915.

COLUMHIA PLANQGRAI'H c0.v WASHINGTON. n. c.

WILLIAM G. BROKAW, or. HIGH ro v'r, NORTH CAROLINA.

LIFE-PRESERVER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 16, 1915.

Application filed March 3, 1915. Serial No. 11,855.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM G. BRoKAw, a citizen of the United States, residing at High Point, in the county of Guilford and State of North Carolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Life- Preservers, of which the following is, a specification.

This invention relates to life preservers, and more particularly to inflatable life preservers of the type that may be attached to, or detached from, a garment, such as a vest or a coat. Life preservers of this type have been shown, described and claimed in my co-pending applications Serial No. 878,059, filed December 9, 1914, Serial No. 7,005, filed February 9, 1915, and Serial No. 11,413, filed March 1, 1915. Thepresent invention has reference particularly to certain improvements in life preservers of the type disclosed in my prior applications.

Under the present invention, thelife preserver, which is inflatable, is made in the form of a collar. While in its preferred form the life preserver is designed in substantial accordance with the collar ordinarily provided for sailors shirts, the in vention is not confined to this particular shape but may be varied within reasonable limits. The life preserver proper is preferably made of rubber which is inserted between the two layers of a cover of cloth or other suitable material, with provisions for ready removal of the life preserver. from its cover. The shape of the lifev preserver, and its inclosing cover, is such thattheir forwardly directed ends are arranged to meet in front of the wearers neck, and to be there secured to each other preferably by fasteners of the type employed in gloves, in which one member. is carried by one end of-the life preserver, and-the other member of the fastener is carried by the other end of the life preserver, and said ends are overlapped in front of the wearers throat, and are secured together. In order that the life preserver may be secured to a vest, or other garment, a tab is connected with one ofthe forwardly directed ends of the life preserver and-is arranged to extend downwardly, being pro vided with one or more butt-on holes for securing the tab to one or more buttons on the wearers vest. This tab is moreover capable of attachment to the buttons of a coat, if desired. The life preserver is furthermore equipped with anv inflating tube, which may pass through an aperture in the wearers vest, near the shoulder, so as to pass down behind the front portion of the vest and be concealed. The end of this tube is provided with the usual mouth piece, and with an airretaining valve. The inclosing cover for the life preserver is also provided, at one of its forwardly extending ends, with a tab having button holes therein for securement to the buttons of a vest, or other garment. \Vhile ordinarily this life preserver is worn inside of its inclosing cover, and is attached to the wearers garment through the tab which is carried by the cover, occasion may arise for the use of the life preserver without the cover, in which event the tab upon the life preserver, proper, affords a means for securing the same to the wearers garment.

The above, and other important features and advantages of the present invention, will be best understood from the following description when considered in, connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a vest showing the life preserver inclosed in its cover, and attached to the vest; Fig.2 is a similar view, showing the mode of attaching the life preserver without its cover, to the wearers vest; and Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the vest and-life preserver shown in Fig. 1.

The life preserver comprises an inflatable bag 6, ofrubber, or other suitable material, which may be composed of upper and lower layers. united at their edges by cement, or other suitable meansin the usual manner of making similar devices. The inflatable bag 6 is made in the form of acollar, having a broad portion 6 which overlies the wearers back, and two forwardly directed portions 7 shapedto fit around the neck of the wearer. The extreme ends of the portions 7 of the life preserver are formed ofv solid. rubber, that is, the layers. of rubber are cemented together for a distance several inches from the ends. These portions overlap one upon the other, and the adjacent faces of these over? lapped portions are provided with codperating fasteners 8, which are preferably of the type employed in gloves and comprise asocket member and a plunger member. A. plurality of the socket members of. the fastenings are carried upon. the face of one end portion of the lifepreserver, andia. plurality of the plunger members of the fastenings are carried; by' the. face-cof-theother end of the life preserver, the fastenings upon the adj acent faces of the overlapping ends of the life preserver being suitably spaced to cooperate with each other. By this arrangement, when the fastening members'of the overlapping ends of the life preserver are pressed into engagement with each other the life preserving collar will be secured about the neck of the wearer and will continuously encircle the same as shown in Fig. 1. The inflating tube 9 is suitably connected with one of the forwardly directed portions of the life preserver, as indicated by dotted lines in Figs. 1 and 2, and this tube preferably passes through a hole in the wearers vest and is concealed back of the vest so as to be in position for use when needed. The inflating tube 9 is provided with a mouth piece 10 and the usual air-retaining valve. In use, this tube is withdrawn from behind the front portion of the vest, and may be readily used by the wearer of the life preserver to inflate the latter as will be obvious.

The life preserver 6 is furthermore provided with a tab 12, which is preferably connected by pivotal means 13 with one of the overlapping ends of the life preserver, such tab carrying a series of button holes 15, one or more of which may be buttoned over the buttons of the wearers vest, as shown in Fig. 2. This arrangement is provided for use when the life preserver is worn without its cover as shown in Fig. 2.

A cover 16 of cloth, or other suitable material, is made of two layers of material which may be stitched together along the side edges, but are left open at the rear to provide for the insertion and removal of the rubber bag 6. One of the layers of the cover is provided with a flap, indicated by dotted lines 15 in Fig. 3, which overlapsthe rear edge of the other layer 'of the cover. Fastening members 11 are appliedto the inside of theflap 15, and also to that portion of the edge of the layer of the cover which is beneath said flap, and by this means the rear edge of the cover for the life preserver may be closed to retain the life preserver therein, or, by separating the fasteners 11 the rear edge of the cover may be opened for the purpose of withdrawing, or inserting the life preserver. One of the forwardly extending end portions of the cover 16 is provided with a downwardly extending tab 22, having therein button holes 23 which are used for buttoning over the buttons of the wearers vest to secure the life preserver to that garment, or to a coat, if desired, when the life preserver is worn inside of its cover in the manner illustrated in Fig. 1. When thus worn, the pivotally connectedtab 12 of the life preserver is swung to one side, and inserted between the layers of one of the forwardly extending portions of the cover 16 as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1.

In the use of this invention, the life preserver 6 would be in a normally collapsed condition and would be inclosed'within its cover 16 which latter would be secured by its tab 22 to the wearers vest, or to any other garment to which it may be readily connected in a manner similar to that shown in Fig. 1. W hen thus worn the life preserver, if connected with a vest, would be entirely concealed by the wearers coatwhile the latter was worn, and at the same time would be in condition for immediate use should occasion arise therefor. In the latter case the wearer could easily obtain access to the inflating tube 9 and inflate the life preserver suitably, closing the usual valve to retain the air therein. If the wearer should be suddenly thrown into the water from any cause this life preserver would afford suflicient buoyancy to keep him afloat, and with little or no effort upon his part.

In the event that it was desired to wear the life preserver without its coverthe life preserver would be removed through the opening at'the rear of the cover, inthe manner above described, and would be fastened about the wearers neck by causing the fastening members upon the faces of the overlapped ends of the life preserver to engage with each other, as indicated in Fig. 2. The tab 12 would then be moved into proper position for buttoning to the buttons of the vest, as shown.

The life preserver 6 has straps 28 attached to each of its outer corners, and one of these straps carries a buckle 29. These straps are adapted to be housed within the cover 16 when not in use, but may be passed around the wearers body and fastened together in front to secure the life preserver snugly against the back. In case the'life preserver is'worn bya person without clothing, one of the straps would be passed through a button hole 15 of the tab 12 in front and the straps buckled together in an obvious manner.

The life preserver 6 may, if desired, be inclosed between a coat and its lining, in which case the forwardly extended portions would tab 12 being secured, when desired, to the buttons of the wearers vest in the manner heretofore described. One of the many advantages of this life preserver is'that it is capable of being folded up into a very small package so that. it may be carried in a bag, envelop, or other convenient receptacle and may be used by travelers who will thus be enabled to carry with them, at all times, a life preserver which may be worn in position for immedi- 7' ate use, and so concealed bya coat, orother worn would be unknown to all except the wearer.

I Another use of this life preserver is that it may be used as a head rest, or pillow, for by inflating the bag the life preserver may be located under the wearers head for which it will provide a comfortable rest.

The right is reserved to make any changes in the form, design, or arrangement of the several elements of this invention as are contemplated by the following claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Le ters Patent of the United States is:

1. A life preserver in the shape of a collar having end portions which are arranged to be fastened together in front, and a tab attached to one of said'end portions and constructed to be attached to a garment.

2. A life preserver shaped to surround the neck of the wearer having end portions which are arranged to be fastened together in front, in combination with a cover having a tab adapted for attachment to a garment. 7

' 3; A life preserver comprising an inflatable bag made in the form of a collar, and having forwardly extending portions shaped to surround the wearers neck and overlapping at their ends in front, fastenings on the adjacent faces of said ends, and a tab connected with one of said ends and having means to engage with the button of a garment.

4. A life preserver comprising an inflatable bag made in the form of a collar, and

having portions shaped to surround the neck and overlapping in front, fastening means on said overlapping portions, and a cover provided with a tab having means to engage with the button of a garment.

5. An inflatable life preserver shaped to surround the neck of the wearer and having means to fasten its ends together in front, in combination with a cover having a tab provided, with a series of button holes and adapted to secure the life preserver to a vest.

6. A life preserver shaped as a collar and having overlapping end portions, fastening means for said end portions, and a tab pivoted to one of the end portions and having button holes therein arranged for securing the device to a vest.

7. A life preserver shaped as a collar, and having means for detachably securing its ends together in front, a tab connected with one of said ends and provided with button holes, and straps secured to the rear portion of the life preserver, one of said straps being arranged to pass through a button hole of the tab, and means for securing the ends of' said straps together in front of the wearers body.

8. A life preserver in the shape of a collar having end portions which are connected in front, and a tab connected with said lifepreserver and extending downwardly in positionto be attached to a garment.

' WILLIAM G. BROKAW.

Witnesses:

HENRY.H. ARMSTEAD, C. A. MAsoN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

